Moulding the whole child means, raising a child that is socially, emotionally, morally, intellectually and physically stable. For this part, I shall discuss the socially balanced child.
This refers to a child who gets along with others, is more understanding, loves to share and cooperate with people.
As parents, we need to understand that as children grow, they exhibit certain character traits, which can be attributed to the developmental level they belong to. However certain traits should not be ignored – anti-social behaviour traits.
Anti-social behaviour traits refer to patterns of action, which are disruptive. They often manifest as early as age three or as late as onset/mid-adolescence. Such behaviours can be overt (aggression towards others – bullying and hitting) or covert (noncompliance, sneaking, lying, disregard for others) often resulting from:
- The child’s temperament: Low ability to regulate attention and behaviour; reacting strongly to obstacles that prevent them from doing or getting what they want.
- Family: Parenting style and skill, parental history, unstable home life, the absence of good parenting skills, the social status of the family.
- Community: Absorption of unhealthy social interaction skills, morals, and values.
- Educational Environment: Formation of unhealthy relationships between- the teacher and the child, the child and other children.
The longer such behaviours persist, the more intractable they become. Though it is never too late to intervene, studies reveal that if by age eight a child has not learnt other socially acceptable ways to meet social goals, such a child has a high chance of continuing with antisocial behaviour throughout life.
What to do:
- Find out your parenting style and skill then ensure to correct the negatives.
- Ensure you are laying a good character example for the child. Most time, a child does what you do and not what you say.
- Spend more time with the child: In doing so, behaviour traits are recognized and the negatives, nipped in the bud.
- Communicate frequently with the child’s teacher.
Always remember that, more often than not, your child will become what you are, so be what you want them to be.
